


Never Again, I Promise.

by SouthKensingtonStn



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Fluff and Angst, John is the fixer, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:27:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28081656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SouthKensingtonStn/pseuds/SouthKensingtonStn
Summary: Roger and Brian have made a connection but neither has actually discussed what the connection is and now Roger is apparently on his way to propose to someone he met at a party. Brian is hurt and sad and doesn't quite know what's going on. As usual, Roger's good heart gets him in deep trouble.
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor
Comments: 19
Kudos: 18





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My attempt at Maylor. Cross fingers!

Brian watched Roger dash around the flat and then stop dead in the middle of the living room as if he'd forgotten something. He stared at Brian who shrugged his shoulders, not getting what the stare meant but knew he would find out.

"I can't find it! Bri, I can't find it!" The drummer dashed back into his room and the guitarist could hear drawers being pulled open and slammed and a few choice swear words when apparently he found what he was looking for. Brian saw the drummer put a small box in his leather jacket and whiz by before the flat door slammed shut.

"What the fuck was that?" Freddie came out of his room wearing a turquoise kimono. He'd been having a well deserved afternoon nap when he heard the commotion.

"That was Rog." Brian didn't look up from his guitar. He was jotting down some notes on a pad beside him.

"Oh, right. He's going to propose tonight. I bet he lost the ring." The singer chuckled.

"Seems like it." Brian looked up. "Propose? To who?" He felt the colour drain from his face.

"Some girl. Uh, the one he met at that big party in New York. I forget her name." Freddie looked up at the ceiling as if the name was written there. "No can't remember."

"Proposing? Roger? A girl?" Brian said under his breath and took a deep breath. Freddie had gone back to his room. This was crazy. Was the past year a dream? 

One year earlier.

"Roger come on. You're drunk." Brian giggled. He was a bit drunk himself. They were trying to unlock their hotel room door without success and Roger had slid his back down the wall till ended up sitting on the floor.

"Oh, fuck. I can hear them coming." He quickly got up and swayed slightly. 'Them' were the groupies they thought they'd managed to throw. Sometimes they just wanted their sleep and not a romp with half a dozen willing young women. Sometimes. 

"Got it." Brian heard the lock click and grabbed Roger's arm and pulled him in within seconds of them both being caught.

"I really can't believe that Roger Taylor is running away from groupies." The guitarist chuckled and switched on the lights. He almost expected to see a couple of girls there sitting in the dark. It happened once before.

Roger was smiling at the big empty bed that was his. He went over and sat down on it and bounced a couple of times. "Wonderful. Long hot shower, a couple of drinks from the mini bar and sleep, sleep, sleep." He fell backwards and stretched his arms out. He was still wearing the white almost lacey top that he'd performed in and should have handed over to the wardrobe girls to be washed and pressed. But he'd left so suddenly to go to the party where Brian had finally found him that he hadn't changed. The shirt was short and as he stretched he exposed his flat tummy and a good bit of skin below it. 

Brian couldn't keep his eyes off him. He was glad the drummer couldn't see him. Couldn't feel his heart speed up or the see why the guitarists jeans were tightening around his groin. Brian thought his own voice sounded hoarse when he said. "I'll grab a quick shower. Get a drink and then you can stand under it as long as you like, mate." Brian turned before Roger could open his eyes and see the condition he was in.

Brian showered quickly under cooler water than he normally would. When he towel dried himself and pulled on pyjama bottoms and a t shirt he found Roger hadn't moved and inch from where he had left him. He was also fast asleep. Brian watched him for awhile not quite knowing whether he should wake him or just cover him up. 

"Come on, Rog. He dragged the drummer by the arms till he was lying straight on the bed and got the covers over him. He shook his head and made sure there was a glass of water on the bedside table next to the blond before going to bed himself.

Brian woke an hour later and heard the shower turn on and a few minutes later shut off. Teeth being brushed. Toilet being flushed. A bit of mumbling. He closed his eyes again and drifted back to sleep.

"Bri? Bri?" Roger was shaking him. "Move over, I'm cold." Brian dutifully moved over and then turned over quickly. Roger was getting into bed next to him and before he had time to protest he felt a half dressed blond drummer snuggling up to his back and a firm arm wrap around his chest.

"Roger?"Brian asked gently. Maybe the drummer was sleepwalking. He did sometimes. But he'd known it was him because he said his name. The dark haired musician blew his cheeks out and lay his head back on the pillow. He could do this. Didn't mean anything. Roger did feel the cold. He closed his eyes and tentatively took hold of the hand that dangled over his chest. 

Brian!" Roger was talking in his sleep but the guitarist thought he was awake and turned over quickly. 

Rog. Wake up, mate. You're talking in your sleep." Brian sighed thinking that he should have just kept quiet. The blue eyes flew open and looked at him, trying to focus.

"Did you take advantage of me, Bri?" He sounded so serious that Brian was shocked.

"I did not!" He glared at him and then saw the smirk. "Rog, go back to sleep in your own bed. Please." 

"No. I like this one. You're comfy." The blond pushed Brian back and plonked his head on his shoulder. "Night, Bri." 

"Oh, for God's sake." Brian smiled. He thought he should sound shocked, surprised and put out but apparently the drummer didn't care. 

Brian woke the next morning and felt as if he'd slept well but something was preventing him from moving and he remembered the events of the night and that it was Roger in his arm that was preventing his movements. 

"Rog, I have to get up, mate." Brian gently lifted the blonds arm and got out of bed. He quickly used the bathroom and brushed his teeth before going back into the bedroom and turning on the coffee maker. He peered through the parting in the curtains but it was still dark outside. 

"Bri?" Roger with eyes still closed was patting the empty side of the bed. Brian watched him and felt a strange feeling inside. Thats when he made the decision that surprised even himself.

"Here. I'm here, Rog." He got back into the bed rather then go into the empty one and chuckled as the blond snuggled back up against him and sighing kissed him on the neck. He hadn't opened his eyes once. 

The plane finally took off from whatever city they had been in. They were hiding back to London and Roger and Brian were sitting next to each other with Deaky and Freddie a row behind. It was a week since that first night Roger had crawled into his bed and that was just the first of a few more nights of the same. Nothing had happened. Brian was in two minds about that. Nothing was spoken about it between them but they seemed to have some sort of an understanding.

"It's fucking cold in here." Roger mumbled and Brian stood up and pulled an airplane blanket from the luggage hold above them. He unfolded it and gently covered the blond with it before looking into his eyes. 

"Thanks, Bri." The blond whispered and leaned back, closing his eyes. A moment later a hand came out from under the blanket and took his. No words were said.

"So, is it okay if...?" Roger for one was unsure of himself. Being back in London wasn't the same as being on tour where anything went. This was London. This was the flat that the four of them shared. Probably, in a short while they would have their own flats but right now they liked the security of their friendships.

"Okay, what?" Brian was unpacking and Roger was standing in his doorway. He looked up as the blond closed the door and took the few steps over to him. He took the blond in his arms. They weren't pretending they didn't know what was going on. There was something, tenuous as it was just now.

Brian held Roger close and stroked his hair as the drummers arms wrapped around his waist. "Are you asking if you can still sleep with me?"

The blond head nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so. If you put it like that." Brian lifted the blonds chin and kissed him.

"Proposing?" It must be a joke. He and the drummer had been together for a year. It was a secret as far as they knew though neither Deaky or Freddie would have cared. So what was going on?

"Fuck, Rog. I love you. You love me. What are you playing at?" Brian shook his head, sending the brown curls dancing around his face and shoulders. The same hair Roger liked to bury his face in. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> uh, oh!

Brian went to bed in a bad mood and of course he couldn't sleep. What Freddie had told him was going around and around in his head. Roger was going to propose to a girl? Was she someone he knew? A groupie? He slammed his head into the pillow and tried to stop thinking.

"Bri? Bri? Move over, I'm cold." Roger was shivering as he got into bed and smiled at Brian's solid warm body. "Mm. Nice." He sighed and stretched a bare leg over the guitarist's.

"Rog, it's nearly 3am. Where were you, exactly?" Brian tired to sound firm but a half naked Roger was difficult to be annoyed with. He seemed just as usual. Loving and cuddly and wanting some kisses to send him off to sleep.

"On an errand of mercy, Bri." The blond said sleepily and arranged his lips into a sexy pout, waiting for his kiss. Brian gave him a quick kiss and meant that to be it but the blonds lips were always so soft and persuasive. 

"Rog." He finally put his hand on the narrow shoulders and realized his bedmate was asleep.

The next morning-

"So, when's the wedding?" Freddie squeezed past Roger in the kitchen to get to the coffee. 

"Wedding?" Roger frowned and shook his head. "What are you talking about?" The blond made a face of pure angelic innocence. He knew he had some explaining to do. Especially to Brian but the guitarist would think his idea was crazy. No, he'd wait till it was all over. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission. Yeah. He nodded to himself.

Roger went back to the bedroom but Brian wasn't there. Must have gone for his shower. Usually, he asked him to join him. The blond went along to the bathroom but the door was locked. Strange. He padded on bare feet to the bedroom and stretching thought he just may as well get back into bed. He positioned himself so that he could see Brian come in, with a towel around his waist and hopefully a goofy smile on his face.

"What's wrong?" Roger sat up when he saw Brian's face. He didn't look happy.

"Nothing. Nothing at all." He whipped the towel away and turned his back to put on his underwear. 

"Well, come back to bed then if nothing is wrong." Roger thought he sounded sensible. He patted the bed. He saw the taller man waiver and look over his shoulder at the blond. Roger tossed his hair to make it look messy and sexy. 

"Oh, Rog. You are so unfair. "I'm trying to be mad at you for disappearing last night and going God knows where." Brian shook back his hair but Roger was starting to look pouty and turned his head away. 

"Love, what were you doing? Freddie said something about you proposing?" Brian huffed but Roger was in the sulks. "Darling?" Brian abandoned his underwear and sat on the edge of the bed. He ran his fingers under the blonds chin and pulled it around.

"Rog, come on, love." Brian knew he'd been bested. Roger was better than any female at getting his own way. "Do you need some love?" He looked into the blue eyes. Maybe he hadn't been getting enough attention and this was his way of getting it. Straying off. Maybe it was just to get his attention?

"Rog?" He got back into bed with the blond and pulled him around and into his arms. "I'm sorry I haven't paid enough attention to you, love." He traced the the blonds jaw with his finger. He got a weak smile back but he could tell Roger was responding to the affection just by his breathing and the way his eyelids had lowered. His whole body had gone warmer and softer and seemed to melt into Brian's. The guitarist knew what his his boyfriend needed and reached his hand down between them.

"See, you just needed some more love." Brian stroked back the blond hair and pulled the covers over them. They could afford to sleep in a bit longer after making love and it always took Roger a while to recover. He usually fell asleep right after and couldn't be budged for half an hour at least. Brian watched over him. He still hadn't got an answer about what he'd been doing the night before. Maybe he never would?

Freddie kept looking over at Roger later that day at a rehearsal for an upcoming concert. The drummer looked bad tempered and was swearing every few minutes about just about anything. The singer looked at Brian for a response but the guitarist was trying to act as if he didn't notice. Finally, John shouted over to Roger if he wanted a smoke break and got an affirmative nod.

"It's not that difficult." John rolled his eyes at the other two. The bassist knew when his friend was frustrated about something and either needed to talk or just go somewhere quiet.

"Good idea." Freddie asked a couple of the roadies to pick up coffees for them all but Brian looked worriedly towards the drum riser. Roger hadn't moved yet and was looking down as if he was tired. 

"Rog. Coming, mate?" John grabbed his jacket and stood in front of the drum set.

"Yeah." Roger nodded and gave the bassist a weak smile. "Need a break." He said, more to himself than to his bandmates. 

"So, what's going on?" John blew smoke in the air and sipped the coffee the roadies had brought out to them.

"Just got a problem or two I have to sort out." Roger frowned. He wished he could tell John what was going on but didn't think he could take of the bassists sarcastic remarks. 

"Helps to talk about it sometimes." John looked at the blond from the corner of his eyes, trying to judge his mood and how far to push. The bassist wasn't being nosey but Roger had helped him out with a few problems in the past and he wanted him to know he had a confidential ear.

"Yeah, I know. It's just..." Roger looked over his shoulder. "I did something really dumb." He sighed.

John was going to make a sarcastic remark about that not being unusual but bit the comment back. "C'mon, Rog." John hated to see his friend unhappy. 

"You can't tell Brian. He'll kill me." Roger bit down on his lower lip and jerked his head back as if just the thought of the guitarists reaction was physically hurting him.

"I promise, mate." John was getting worried. "Let's go over here out of earshot, yeah?" John pulled the blond's arm. They settled down on a low brick wall and Roger talked.

John was pretty good at fixing most things either mechanically or electrical or personally but this was something he'd have to think about. Roger had got himself into a mess but only because he had a good heart and thought he was doing the right thing for the right reasons. But it had backfired big time. He promised the drummer he would think about what his options were and reassured him that he wouldn't tell Brian. He had a lot of Roger's secrets in his head that would remain there forever. 

Later that evening Brian was lying on the couch reading a book and half heartedly watching the news on TV. He lay his book on the chest when he heard the door open and voices. Roger and John had gone shopping and they carried in large paper carrier bags from trendy stores.

"I picked out a few things for Deaky." Roger grinned as he was always bemoaning the bassists boring wardrobe. John usually resisted but today he gave in. He needed to talk over with the blond their discussion that morning. 

"Great and how does Deaky feel about that?" Brian chuckled as the bassist rolled his eyes. 

"Well, if he doesn't like the stuff I can wear it." Roger smirked. The drummer looked good in anything and he knew it. 

"I'm going to my room to put this stuff away and then get something to eat." John made a quick exit hoping that Roger would talk to Brian but he wasn't going to hold his breath. 

Roger nodded and dropped the bags behind the couch. "You look comfy." He hinted and smiled as the guitarist put his book on the floor and made room for him on the couch. The blond took no time in letting in settling himself in Brian's arms. He didn't want to move from their warm comfort. 

"You going to fall asleep?" Brian kissed the blonds forehead and got a mumbled reply which he took to mean 'yes'. 

Brian picked up the remote from the top of the couch and changed the channel. When Roger was comfortable he wouldn't move till bedtime.

The phone rang a couple of times before John came out to answer it. His two friends were asleep on the couch as he picked up the receiver.

"Hello? Who? He's not here." He put the phone down. Roger hand turned his head to look at the bassist and they exchanged a look.

"I said you weren't here." John whispered and the blond mouthed 'thank you' before snuggling back into Brian. 

"Oh, Rog." John said under his breath.

The next morning Roger went for a long walk by himself. He had to get straight in his head what he was going to say. John had provided the script but he needed to say it in his own way.

"I can't marry you. Sorry, I can't marry you. Oh, fuck." Roger muttered under his breath. "It was a misunderstanding...no." He wanted to run home and hide his head under a pillow. If he went through with this Brian would be hurt and if he didn't someone else would be. It was lose, lose. 

"Where's Rog?" Brian had slept in and just managed to get the last cup of coffee from the pot. 

"Went for a walk I think." John was trying to fix the iron and had it apart on the kitchen table. He knew exactly what Roger was doing. The blond had told him the whole story and if it had been in a movie it would have been funny.

A girlfriend of one of their roadies was trying to make her boyfriend jealous. He should have proposed to her by now she had told Roger but he was taking his time. She asked if Roger could pretend to want to marry her and start the ball rolling.

He'd been unsure about it but he hated to see anyone unhappy so agreed to make a bit of production of it at a small party at the girls flat. The problem was the roadie seemed almost too happy about it and wished the two of them all the best. That wasn't the problem. After everyone had left the girl had dissolved in uncontrollable tears saying no one would ever marry her and Roger had rashly said he would. The girl had recovered so quickly that he was alarmed and she accepted his sort of proposal.

John had never had a problem like that to solve and had taken the whole afternoon to come up with something. He just hoped Roger could go through with it. The drummers heart always got him in trouble.


End file.
